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Summary

To conclude, I’ve had a lot of fun taking the Karmagenes personality test and sharing the results with my friends and family. As quite a long report, it could easily have become confusing or overwhelming, but I think Karmagenes have got the perfect balance of information and visual aids.

It would have been good to see how the results were presented before ordering the test, and problems with the written English, particularly towards the end of the report, made things a little less clear than they could have been. That said, I’d strongly recommend the Karmagenes personality test to anyone who wants to reflect on how they've come to behave the way they do. I wouldn’t say the results will lead to life-changing decisions, but it will give you a lot of food for thought!

Full Review

Karmagenes were offering a DNA-based personality test that would link my genetic makeup to fourteen behavioural characteristics, as well as a short psychological test which assesses the ‘Big 5’ dimensions of personalities. This is the only test we’ve come across that seeks to directly address the ‘Nature vs. Nurture’ argument, integrating both aspects into the results, so we were keen to take a look!

Product Expectations

The Karmagenes website explained that their genetic personality test would reveal the extent to which I am: A bon vivant (a person that enjoys the good things in life!), emotional, innovative, spontaneous, strategic, a risk taker, sex driven, decisive, social, confident, stress tolerant, calm and an optimist.

Compared to the other tests out there, this is by far the most impressive (and interesting) list of behavioural traits to be reported on as part of a genetic analysis. Another provider, Gene Planet, offers a ‘Personal genetic analysis’ which includes an assessment of how effectively you learn from your mistakes. 23andMe’s test reports on several behavioural traits such as smoking behaviour, and International Biosciences’ ‘Weight and Wellness’ test includes an assessment of your tendency to overeat. But the Karmagenes personality test covers a dozen more behavioural traits than any of these providers’ tests.

The site listed three main applications of the test results; they would help me to learn more about myself in order to increase confidence and reduce stress, help me meet a romantic partner with complimentary or non-complimentary characteristics (depending on what I prefer!), and help me optimise decision-making when it comes to my career. There’s no doubt that receiving this sort of information would be very powerful, so I was excited to see what form the advice would take.

It was made very clear that none of the information I’d receive would relate to any aspect of my health.

Ordering Experience

The ordering experience with Karmagenes was slightly unusual, as the costs were not displayed on the site, and you had to search through the FAQs section to find the order page. Once reaching this page however, the process was quick, easy and handled through PayPal which added a level of reassurance.

I received the kit one working day later, which contained simple instructions for providing a sample. Two packs of cheek swabs had been sent and the instructions said that this was in case one of the packs had been damaged – I thought this was strange as I couldn’t see how this might happen. In order to return my sample, a clever fold-up box had been enclosed which was easy to put together.

It was a shame that return postage to Switzerland hadn’t been included – I had to go to the Royal Mail website to check how much postage was required.

One week after dispatching my sample to Karmagenes, I received confirmation on email that it had been received.

The Results

Four weeks later, I received an email to say that Karmagenes were finalising the analysis. I was then directed to take an online psychological, or ‘Karmagenes 5+’, assessment. This was made up of 31 straightforward statements (e.g. I sympathise with others’ feelings) and it took me about 10 minutes to complete. I was directed to respond to the statements via multiple choice: ‘Very accurate’, ‘accurate’, ‘neither inaccurate nor accurate’, ‘inaccurate’ or ‘very inaccurate’. Most of the statements were clear and simple, with a few exceptions, such as ‘I feel little concern for others’ - that felt a bit ambiguous.

One week later, the results were sent to me as a 41-page PDF file. The size of the file was a little intimidating, but upon reading the first few pages I was reassured by the easy-to-read text, accompanied by eye-catching graphics that linked well to what I had seen on the Karmagenes website. After the bright cover page was a legal page, outlining privacy policies. Again, this could have been intimidating, but the graphics and personalised tone of it reassured me that my genetic data was safe and private. This was followed by an intro page which gave me a brief summary of the test, and a contents page. Another legal page reiterated the fact that the results were merely a guide, as the mixture of factors affecting personality is complex, and that the test was non-health related. This had been made clear to me on the website, and so this didn’t come as a surprise or a disappointment.

Results section: The science behind Karmagenes

The next section, which was comprised of eight pages, provided a background to the science and psychology behind the test – see the ‘5 Factors Personality Timeline’ below.

I liked the fact that timelines were used for both the scientific and psychological backgrounds, but thought that the personality timeline (shown above) worked better than the ‘Behavioural Genetics Timeline’ that had been included, as there were fewer large chunks of text beneath each point. The graphics really aided my understanding, especially in linking the science to the Karmagenes test itself. This again all linked well to what I’d seen on the website prior to buying the test, without repeating the information. This section was complemented well by one at the end of the report which included a concise list of references under clear subheadings, which were easy to access for more information.

Next were my results. This was the most substantial section of the report, consisting of 13 pages of assessment for each of the 14 characteristics (shown below).

This was followed by a personalised interpretation of each characteristic, and advice about my career, relationships and wellness – a further eight pages. This was quite a lot of information to go through, but was interesting, and was made more so by features such as the lists of famous people that were likely to share similar scores with me for each trait.

The results for both the DNA and psychological (environment) tests were displayed together, allowing for easy comparison through a simple circular diagram that was explained at the beginning of the results section (explanation shown below).

The diagrammatic results, shown for each characteristic, had annotated labels for each circle: ‘Very low’, ‘low’, ‘moderate’, ‘high’ and ‘very high’. This made them easy to interpret and link to the relevant trait description.

I was slightly surprised to find that, in many cases, my DNA results were very different to my personality test results. In one sense, it was interesting, as it seemed I had inadvertently been working to improve traits I naturally wouldn’t exhibit, but on the downside it was difficult to know which description I should read, as often I had a genetic score of ‘very low’, and a psychological score of ‘very high’, which were obviously opposite descriptions. Although I understand that the test is trying to show the balance between ‘nature’ and ‘nurture’, it might have helped to have a combined score for both DNA and environmental results to make best use of this section.

Despite these few limitations, the ability to compare the DNA and environmental results was really interesting for particular characteristics. I’m a confident person but I feel this didn’t come naturally – I believe I’ve learned confident behaviours from my father, which was reflected in my ‘low’ DNA score but ‘high’ environmental score. I’m a social person, but again, this didn’t come easily, and I remember making a concerted effort to develop my social skills in my youth, where this was effortless for others. Again, I saw this reflected with a ‘very low’ DNA score for sociability, but a ‘high’ environmental score.

It was really interesting to see how these and other characteristics were associated with my personal set of genes, but I would have liked to have been given more information on how these conclusions were made. There was a general reference section at the end, allowing me to carry out further research on the overall area of study into how genetics affect personality, and I liked that this included a range of resources, from online videos to academic research papers. However, it would have been good to know exactly which genes were examined by Karmagenes to determine my genetic tendency to exhibit each trait. This would not only have allowed me to personally assess the scientific reliability of the DNA test, but would have made comparisons to personality tests provided by other companies much easier. In addition, as someone who likes to make mental links, it would have been interesting to see if any of the genes linked to my personality were also highlighted in other types of DNA test. I wouldn’t expect to see all of the detail of Karmagenes’ analysis, as I understand that quite a few factors are involved in the assessment of each trait, but listing the genes that are most influential would really complement the existing results and information.

Results section: What is next?

Personally, I felt that this section was most valuable. It really helped to remedy some of the confusion by further explaining the relationship between DNA and environmental factors, putting them into the context of my career, relationships and general wellbeing – my general wellbeing summary is shown below.

This section was very personalised and written in detail, with practical advice on how to enhance my personality and how to cope in stressful situations. I only had a few criticisms of this section, one being that that the English in sections appeared to have been directly translated from another language, meaning it didn’t read as smoothly as it could. Another aspect that could be improved is the fact that this section isn’t quite as visually stimulating as the rest of the report, especially the beginning sections. Similar graphics to the ones at the beginning of the report would have really livened up this part of the report and made the long sections of text seem a bit more manageable. However, these were minor issues in what was otherwise a really interesting and insightful report on my personality.

Summary

To conclude, I’ve had a lot of fun taking the Karmagenes personality test and sharing the results with my friends and family. As quite a long report, it could easily have become confusing or overwhelming, but I think Karmagenes have got the perfect balance of information and visual aids.

It would have been good to see how the results were presented before ordering the test, and problems with the written English, particularly towards the end of the report, made things a little less clear than they could have been. That said, I’d strongly recommend the Karmagenes personality test to anyone who wants to reflect on how they've come to behave the way they do. I wouldn’t say the results will lead to life-changing decisions, but it will give you a lot of food for thought!

Karmagenes Review

Excellent idea and the team are clearly super knowledgeable however i doubt the value

Karmagenes review by a DNA Testing Choice user2019-03-19

Sceptical at first but glad I did it

22 August 2018

Personality Traits

Rated 4 out of 5

4

Approved Review

I love pop psychology books and HAD to try this. I have to admit, having given the results some thought, I think Karma genes’ analysis was pretty accurate. I’m going to do a bit more research though before I commit to any behavioural changes!

Karmagenes review by a DNA Testing Choice user2018-08-22

Surprised by how accurate it was!

8 November 2016

Personality Traits

Rated 5 out of 5

5

Approved Review

I’ve done the Karmagenes genetic test with my girlfriend at first for fun. But then, when the results came back we were positively shocked.

First, there is a personalised assessment at the beginning of the report describing a bit our personality without too many details. Both, my girlfriend and me were surprised by how accurate the description was. Then, by going into the details of each trait, we learned a lot about each other, first by discovering the hidden potential in our genes, but also by trying to understand how/when/which environmental experience helped us develop it. It was a long night talk.

Finally, at the end, the report goes through different advice for career, personal life and wellbeing. Things were a bit complicated in that section, not easily written and a bit tough to grasp the full meaning (mostly due to some phrasing issues), yet we both managed to appreciate the quality of the work, assessment and suggestions. We both learned more about who we are and we are trying to take the results in consideration in our daily life. Simply, i feel more confident about who I am and i can manage my feelings in a better way in my everyday life

Karmagenes review by a DNA Testing Choice user2016-11-08

Life improving DNA test!

3 November 2016

Personality Traits

Rated 5 out of 5

5

Approved Review

Detailed scientific informations about who I am (nature) in relation to who life turned me into (nurture) gives the opportunity for an in depth review, a life tip that can finally lead me to become the person that I always should be! Karmagenes is a life improver!!

Karmagenes review by a DNA Testing Choice user2016-11-03

Karmagenes test

3 November 2016

Personality Traits

Rated 5 out of 5

5

Approved Review

I am very excited of doing the DNA test of Karmagenes! I learned many things about myself in a very simple and friendly way. My only difficulty was how to play the Karmagenes game KG Land but after some minutes i understood it. The results that Karmagenes team provided to me are very close to my character and their advice are extremely useful for my future. My Report adviced me not to fear and take risks in my life which i didn’t do till then.Two weeks after the test i had an opportunity and i took the risk to move abroad for employment and i am very happy for that! My personal career and my personal life improved because of this decision that Karmagenes proposed me! Definitely i suggested it to my friends. Meet yourself!

Karmagenes review by a DNA Testing Choice user2016-11-03

Feedback on DNA test

3 November 2016

Personality Traits

Rated 4 out of 5

4

Approved Review

I will start with the good point. It’s an easy test to do and the results are really good. I love also how they are speaking about the results, it’s serious and in the same time cool. I think people want to have this kind of feedback. The results are also very clear. I like also the career orientation, the way of evolution and so on. I will continue with the improvement point. In the report, the information concerning the history at the begining is too much, I think it should be at the end. A summary report of all results would be good to add.

Karmagenes review by a DNA Testing Choice user2016-11-03

Masses of insightful advice!

3 November 2016

Personality Traits

Rated 5 out of 5

5

Approved Review

Thank you Karma Genes so much for the report, truly loved it!

A shockingly accurate portrait for the most part. I’d show it to a stranger or my best friend because it’s genuinely fascinating, but perhaps not to my friends: it’s that intimate!

Explained some of the things I already knew and shed light on some more mysterious aspects of myself. On a more professional note, the report is almost perfect – 9/10. The structure, design and content is spot on. Maybe they should just make the section titles bigger/colored. The only comment I would have for improvement is the flow in some parts of the text. For example in my summary, I feel as if the last paragraph and the one before could be inverted. A similar feeling came with the tips at the end of the report. It gives the impression that there are blocks of text allocated to certain personality traits and that they are simply added in the summary without making a smooth semantic connection between various blocks of text. Also, there are some phrasings/misspellings which come over as quite weird eg “You even underestimate yourself so much” “You are so resistant to any kind of stress” or “We just discover one circumstance which may cause some negative impact”. A couple commas missing in some places as well. Sorry if it sounds picky, but it makes quite a perceptual difference in a written report.

Definitely would recommend to anybody interested in self discovery, self improvement and identity/consciousness, as well as anybody else just because it’s an amazing experience. Quality tailored professional and personal advice, complete background on the history of genetics and personality traits as well as an explanation of the science behind the tech in layman words makes this a whole lot more than a simple personality test. My favorite part definitely resides in the opportunities for improvements and the underlining of potential pitfalls. You could launch a life coaching company with insights like that!

Karmagenes review by a DNA Testing Choice user2016-11-03

Accurate for me, it's the future!

3 November 2016

Personality Traits

Rated 5 out of 5

5

Approved Review

This is great, and I really hope that, what Karmagenes does (DNA analyses for personality), will be more common and used in every day life. The report is quite accurate. That’s impressive! The analysis of the small differences about DNA (Nature) and the psychological test (Nurture) is also correct.

Karmagenes review by a DNA Testing Choice user2016-11-03

My top recommendation

3 November 2016

Personality Traits

Rated 5 out of 5

5

Approved Review

Though a bit doubtful in the beginning, I recently tried the Karmagenes test going for the full pack of DNA plus Psychology questionnaire. Was impressed both by results accuracy as well as the depth and breadth of insights offered. A really valuable tool to better know yourself, your personality’s strengths and weaknesses, and improve social interactions. Highly recommended without doubt.

Karmagenes review by a DNA Testing Choice user2016-11-03

FSP Psychologist

20 October 2015

Personality Traits

Rated 5 out of 5

5

Approved Review

Having read a newspaper article and heard on radio about the test “Karmagenes”, I got interested by the approach. I am an FSP psychologist (Swiss Federation of Psychologists) and even if I have been in touch with numerous classification methods and tests, I am usually not 100% convinced by the results, finding often that there would be a need to fine-tune or relativize them. Therefore, it was with a very critical mind that I decided to make the test. It took weeks for the result to come, but, once they were there, I must say that they were just breath-taking. I could really not believe my eyes. I sent my results to 6 people who know me well and all of them also confirmed what was written about me. To make it short, I find this an interesting approach because it allows seeing the differences between our genes and our environment. I found it very useful because being graphic, it makes an impact.

Karmagenes review by a DNA Testing Choice user2015-10-20

Everyone should try this

6 December 2014

Personality Traits

Rated 5 out of 5

5

Approved Review

I tested Karmagenes genetic test with a lot of curiosity and hesitation and I was positively surprised. More than 60% of the characteristics that I tested correspond to the image that I have of myself, which really makes me feel confident about the quality of the test. For the other 40%, however, there were two types of results: First, characteristics such as decisive and strategic, that I never thought to have, were actually there in my DNA. Second, characteristics such as calm (which genetically seems I am not) did not correspond to my actual me. These two categories taught me a lot, for instance: I tried to explain how I learned to be more and more calm through my life till now against the ‘will’ of my DNA. That gave a kind of sense of personal achievement already. On the other hand, since the test, I try to develop more my decisiveness and plan more strategically as i know my DNA can handle it. This helped a lot in my love life, as I have been taking more straightforward decisions with more confidence. Bottom line, the test was really easy to perform, quite fast, not that expensive compared to other tests around, unique in it’s kind and highly satisfactory. Try it.

Karmagenes review by a DNA Testing Choice user2014-12-06

My discovery

6 December 2014

Personality Traits

Rated 5 out of 5

5

Approved Review

We are made of genes!

Karmagenes review by a DNA Testing Choice user2014-12-06

Karmagenes

1 December 2014

Personality Traits

Rated 5 out of 5

5

Approved Review

Great job and amazing report, well done.

Karmagenes review by a DNA Testing Choice user2014-12-01

Know yourself better

25 November 2014

Personality Traits

Rated 5 out of 5

5

Approved Review

Karmagenes is a futuristic, challenging and revolutionary way to know better myself and possibly other people around me with similar or different characteristics to me. Love the authenticity of logos, mottos and the general approach of science.

Karmagenes review by a DNA Testing Choice user2014-11-25

Astrology meets astronomy

27 September 2014

Personality Traits

Rated 5 out of 5

5

Approved Review

With the Karmagenes test, it feels like astrology meets astronomy. Kudos team!

Karmagenes review by a DNA Testing Choice user2014-09-27

Change your perspective

18 September 2014

Personality Traits

Rated 5 out of 5

5

Approved Review

Karmagenes changed my view about knowing myself! I was quite amazed by the unique DNA test they are offering and intrigued by the report generated revealing the encrypted DNA blueprints of my characteristics. I highly recommend using the Karmagenes test to get to know yourself.

S.Y.

Karmagenes review by a DNA Testing Choice user2014-09-18

Newborn test!

30 August 2014

Personality Traits

Rated 5 out of 5

5

Approved Review

As the mum of a newborn I was curious to know what my little one took from his mum and his dad. Thanks to this test I was able to find this out and turns out that my baby is a good combination of both his parents :-) I also feel now that I know the genetic background he was given at birth that I can help my little one to “improve” in some areas.

Karmagenes review by a DNA Testing Choice user2014-08-30

Review

6 August 2014

Personality Traits

Rated 5 out of 5

5

Approved Review

A pleasant new experience to get to know yourself better. M.S.

Karmagenes review by a DNA Testing Choice user2014-08-06

Recommendation

26 July 2014

Personality Traits

Rated 5 out of 5

5

Approved Review

I have no hesitation recommending Karmagenes! The report was extremely an eye opener to my innermost curiosity to know myself and the test was super easy to perform. It was an excellent experience!

Karmagenes review by a DNA Testing Choice user2014-07-26

DNA test

10 May 2014

Personality Traits

Rated 5 out of 5

5

Approved Review

Thank you Karmagenes, it was an interesting read and overall a great idea.

Karmagenes review by a DNA Testing Choice user2014-05-10

Thanks a lot…that's fascinating!!

1 May 2014

Personality Traits

Rated 4 out of 5

4

Approved Review

I look into the results which were very interesting and sometimes a bit surprised first by some results but with second thought I could recognize myself in the very big majority of them, with 2 exceptions and one so-so. L.A.